THE 4 FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS OF EXERCISE EXECUTION
BY JUAN ROJAS
If you are reading this , chances are that you are just like me . Obsessed with this beautiful journey of seeking the perfect physique .
What do most of us consider the perfect physique ?
This is subjective , but for most , it involves building a certain amount ( or massive amount ) of muscle while having low body fat levels to show this hard-earned muscle under the skin .
What do all of us require to build this muscle ?
I will wait for you to answer ….
Most people will say “ Lift weights .” Although all of us use some sort of weight and move it up and down against a gravitational pull to build muscle , lifting weights is technically not the right answer . The right answer is CONTRACTING MUSCLE AND PLACING RESISTANCE ON IT AGAINST A WEIGHT . This tension and progression of resistance through time are what will stimulate the muscle to grow .
Unfortunately , when most of us start on this muscle-building journey , we see what other people are doing in the gym and we mimic them . We see them moving weights and we aim to do the same thing . Moving weights initially will work because ultimately , muscles will contract to a degree by just moving weights . Hence why powerlifters and weightlifters are not necessarily “ muscle-less .”
But , as we advance in this journey , we start plateauing and noticing that certain body parts are not progressing as fast as we would like . That we are getting now stronger
and the weights we are lifting are now perhaps taking a toll on our joints , tendons , and ligaments . That deadlifting 150 lbs . with bad form did not hurt us , but deadlifting 300 lbs . with the bad form now leads to lower back tweaks that leave us paralyzed for days . We may find that no matter how hard we work , things just are not happening anymore .
What could the problem be ?
Most people , even those that are deemed to be “ advanced ” with their level of muscularity , are so obsessed with moving weights , that they do not contract muscles to their maximum potential . Moving weight is much easier than contracting muscle . It is mindless ; you just swing weights around moving something from point A to point B at all costs . But to contract muscle properly requires some basic knowledge of anatomy along with being much more conscious about what task you are doing in the gym . When you mix this along with training to absolute failure and proper ranges of motion , your results will skyrocket .
Today I want to teach you guys about the 4 main pillars of training that I preach to my clients so they get the best possible results . These are outlined in order of importance , and once a pillar is mastered , you can crank the other one up and master that one .
Proper Form - Proper form is crucial in order to properly isolate and target the muscles you want to grow without getting hurt . Making a specific muscle grow , requires placing an immense amount of stress on that muscle . In order to properly target this muscle , you need to stabilize specific body parts . For example , if you are squatting , it is crucial to stabilize the core and the hips . Or if you are chest pressing , it is crucial